Wedding Bagpiper
Information about the Wedding Bagpiper Services I provide
Helping you celebrate your Wedding Day
I absolutely love helping people celebrate and mark special occasions, across Ayrshire and beyond.
With many years of experience as a bagpiper, it is still a huge privilege to perform as a Wedding Bagpiper and bring people together for fantastic wedding celebrations. Above all else though, I want the happy couple and their family and guests to have the best day ever.
My job is about adding to the story and emotion of your special day. The music of the bagpipes is a great, traditional way to enhance the emotion of your day.
If you know you would like to have a piper play at your Wedding, but you’re not sure when or what is involved, I am here to help you plan your Wedding Bagpiper choices.
With many years of experience as a bagpiper, it is still a huge privilege to perform as a Wedding Bagpiper and bring people together for fantastic wedding celebrations. Above all else though, I want the happy couple and their family and guests to have the best day ever.
My job is about adding to the story and emotion of your special day. The music of the bagpipes is a great, traditional way to enhance the emotion of your day.
If you know you would like to have a piper play at your Wedding, but you’re not sure when or what is involved, I am here to help you plan your Wedding Bagpiper choices.
I believe music enhances the moments we live and the stories we tell.
Helping to plan your Wedding Piper
There are a few different points during the day when the happy couple might wish to have their wedding bagpiper play.
While this is very much personal preference, I have given a list below of the duties I am most often asked to perform during the wedding ceremony and reception by couples.
While this is very much personal preference, I have given a list below of the duties I am most often asked to perform during the wedding ceremony and reception by couples.
Ceremony
- I arrive at venue about 1 hour before start of ceremony to set up to greet your guests;
- Play as guests arrive at the ceremony, for about 30 – 45 minutes;
- Pipe the bride from the wedding car to the ceremony;
- If requested, I can pipe the bride down the aisle;
- Pipe as the newly married couple come up the aisle, if requested;
- Play a few tunes as the newly weds and guests leave the ceremony.
Reception
- If requested, I can play as guests arrive at the reception venue and welcome the newly married couple;
- Provide some background piping during the afternoon reception, while photographs are taken, if required;
- Piping in the top table to wedding breakfast;
- Return to pipe in the bride and groom to wedding breakfast / cake cutting.
- Often at this stage, the bride will present me with a dram, and I will toast the newly married couple, before piping myself out.
Get a free copy of my Wedding Brochure sent to you.
Offering you complete flexibility for your Wedding
The packages that I have listed below are based around the most popular times I am asked to play by couples.
The Platinum Service is my most popular wedding bagpiper package with couples, however these packages are not set in stone. They are entirely flexible and can be adjusted to fit with your other plans and arrangements.
As well as my standard bagpiping packages for weddings, I am also delighted to offer two special bagpiping services as extras. I am also a music composer, and so love any opportunity to put on my creative writer’s hat! My bespoke “One More Tune” and “Give Us A Tune” services provide you with more flexibility to customise your bagpiping package and make your Wedding Celebration even more unique and personal to you. Again, you’ll find more details below.
Please contact me if you would like more information or if you would like a quote for your day.
Wedding Bagpiper Packages
Silver Service
Add the magic of the bagpipes to your Ceremony
- 30-45 minutes Piping before Ceremony, to welcome guests;
- Piping Bride into the Ceremony;
- 20 minutes playing after Ceremony, starting as Newly Married Couple exit the Church / Venue.
Price from: £200.00
Gold Service
Start your reception celebrations with the bagpipes
- 45 minutes Piping during your Reception;
- Piping Top Table into Wedding Meal;
- Piping Newly Married Couple into Cake Cutting and Wedding Meal.
Price from: £200.00
Platinum Service
Bagpipes, Bagpipes, Bagpipes
- 30-45 minutes Piping before Ceremony;
- Piping Bride into the Ceremony;
- Piping Married Couple out of the Ceremony;
- Piping Top Table and Newly Married Couple into Wedding Meal.
Price from: £250.00
Diamond Service
Bagpipes, Day & Night
- Everything in the Platinum Service, Plus:
- 20 minutes Piping to welcome your guests to Evening Reception.
Price from: £350.00
Extra Bagpiper Packages
'Give Us A Tune'
An original tune written just for your Wedding
- I will work with you to write a tune that is fitting with your Dream Day;
- You will get a recording of the tune, professionally recorded, mixed and mastered plus a Live performance at your Wedding.
- Click the link for full details of my bespoke tune writing service – the perfect gift for any special occasion.
Prices from: £200.00
Booking Process
So if everything sounds good so far, feel free to contact me in the first instance to let me know what your plans are and when you might like to have piping during your day.
I can let you know if I will be available to play and will then send you a link to my Booking Form.
I ask for a £50 deposit payable following booking, with the balance then due 14 days before your Wedding.
Once I have your completed form, I will prepare an invoice for you with your Wedding details, which will confirm the amounts payable. It will also provide bank transfer details.
I can let you know if I will be available to play and will then send you a link to my Booking Form.
I ask for a £50 deposit payable following booking, with the balance then due 14 days before your Wedding.
Once I have your completed form, I will prepare an invoice for you with your Wedding details, which will confirm the amounts payable. It will also provide bank transfer details.
Common Tunes
I have played many tunes over the years, but here is a list of some of the more common tunes I play at weddings. See how many you know? If you have a favourite that isn’t here, let me know and I will do what I can to learn it for your wedding.
- A May Morning,
- The Atholl and Breadalbane Gathering,
- The Atholl Highlanders,
- Balmoral,
- Banks of Allan Water,
- Castle Dangerous,
- Farewell to the Creeks,
- Flower of Scotland,
- Gardens of Skye,
- Glendaruel Highlanders,
- Green Hills of Tyrol,
- Heights of Cassino,
- Highland Cathedral,
- Highland Laddie,
- John Macdonald of Glencoe,
- Leaving Port Askaig,
- Lochanside,
- Mairi’s Wedding,
- Minstrel Boy,
- The Music of Spey,
- P/M JK Cairns,
- P/M Wm Gray’s Farewell,
- The Pikeman’s March,
- Rab’s Wedding,
- Rowan Tree,
- Scotland the Brave,
- Shoals of Herring,
- Skye Boat Song,
- Wings.
Recent Recordings...
Audio
Here is an audio playlist of some of the more common tunes I play at weddings. The tunes marked with a * are original compositions written by me.
Video
And here is a recording of me in August 2021 playing Highland Cathedral, a very popular tune at Weddings. If you would like to see more of me playing, please feel free to visit my YouTube Channel.